


Love Happens Sweet

by muscatmusic18



Series: Follow What is Out of Reach [6]
Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Cute, F/F, In case anyone was wondering, Moving In Together, Smut, a crack series really, also this is still a crackfic, and they're still zoommates, back into quarantine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:13:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25251430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muscatmusic18/pseuds/muscatmusic18
Summary: With a resurgence in cases of the virus, coworkers Zelda and Lilith are forced back into quarantine -- this time together.Another prompt for Out Of Reach; could be read alone, but will be easier to follow if the original, Out of Reach, is read first.
Relationships: Zelda Spellman/Lilith, Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Series: Follow What is Out of Reach [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716583
Comments: 38
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The note that I had previously written no longer applies, as this is not the last story for this series! I will be beginning a new 'section', but this universe will continue on. But my sentiment for all of you who have continually support this series still applies -- I thank all of you who comment and leave kudos from the bottom of my heart; those can often get me through a tough day.
> 
> As always, the largest thank you I can muster for my wonderful friend, TomorrowNeverCame (@its-a-goode-day on tumblr), for without her skills as an editor and kindness as a person, my writing would be nowhere near the caliber it's at.
> 
> And last but certainly not least, here are the people whose prompts are contained within this chapter:  
> RedBlack, who asked for Zelda and Lilith going back into quarantine, this time living together  
> MangoSalvaje, who asked for Lilith, wearing the green robe, to tease Zelda while at work  
> MissSwanMills, who asked for a worship kink with Lilith as queen  
> morethanjust-a-fairytale, who asked for a quiet, calming date for Zelda and Lilith  
> its-a-goode-day, who suggested that Lilith has a feud with Stolas over Zelda's lap

_A resurgence in cases of the virus has led the governor to enact a second shelter-in-place order, coming just weeks after the end of the first._

Zelda practically growled, sitting up out of frustration. “These plebeians, thinking their rights are somehow infringed upon as we try to save lives; now they’ve gone and ruined it for the rest of us.”

Lilith nodded in agreement, but ran her hand through Zelda’s hair in an attempt to calm her. “You’re right, darling. But there’s nothing we can do to change it right now.”

“I know,” Zelda said, slumping back into the couch in defeat. “I just don’t want to be cooped up again.” She sighed and leaned to rest her head on Lilith’s shoulder. “I don’t want to be away from you again.”

Zelda’s heart squeezed just saying it out loud. She’d become so accustomed to Lilith’s presence in her life – waking up with legs tangled, sharing the bathroom in the morning, little touches throughout the day just to let the other know they were there. The thought of spending weeks, even months without that contact made her throat tighten, fighting the urge to grab onto Lilith and never let go.

Lilith cleared her throat, voice carefully measured when she spoke. “What if I stayed here with you?”

Zelda sat up slowly and faced Lilith. “Stay with me?” she asked, half shocked, half curious.

Lilith nodded, starting to look unsure. “I’d have to bring Stolas over, which could be interesting for you, and I haven’t asked if you would be alright with living together for a time after only knowing each other—”

To stop her spiral, Zelda kissed her soundly, nipping her bottom lip before speaking. “Lilith,” she pressed another kiss to her lips, “will you stay here with me?”

Lilith’s eyes fluttered open, looking a bit dazed. “I thought that was supposed to be my question.”

“Perhaps, but I beat you to it.”

Lilith chuckled. “How soon can you have a drawer cleared out for me?”

~~~~~~~~~

Lilith settled seamlessly into Zelda’s life, not just her presence in the apartment blending naturally but her belongings as well — dresses hung neatly in the closet, shoes placed neatly in the doorway, and makeup scattered across the vanity. Even Stolas acted as though he belonged, quickly claiming the armchair as his nap spot. However, he realized soon enough that Zelda was more than happy to let him sleep on her lap, which caused other problems, as the redhead learned just two days after they'd moved in. 

Zelda was sitting on the couch, a book in hand and Stolas on her lap, so engrossed in her novel that she didn’t notice Lilith standing before her, glaring at her cat. She did notice, however, when Lilith picked him up and dropped him on the ground before crawling into Zelda’s lap herself, settling in much like Stolas had.

Zelda looked to Stolas, who glared at them, and then at Lilith’s pleased look. “Was that really necessary?”

“Very,” Lilith said with a straight face. “He has to learn that there’s rules around here — he gets my lap, I get yours.”

Zelda quirked an eyebrow. “Exactly who are you jealous of here, me or the cat?”

“I’m not going to dignify that with an answer.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and went back to her book, running her fingers through Lilith’s hair. “It’s like I have two cats,” she murmured, trying not to smile when Lilith leaned into her touch.

“Yeah, but I’m your favorite.”

Zelda looked down to see Lilith’s cocky smirk, so sure of herself, and it would be all too easy to tease her. “Oh, darling, you’re going to have to work for the title of favorite cat around here.”

Lilith’s eyes flared, indignant, and quick as anything she sat up, swinging her leg over to straddle Zelda. Cupping her jaw with both hands, Lilith kissed her, hard, swiping her tongue at the seam of Zelda’s lips and tangling their tongues when the redhead opened her mouth to gasp. The book dropped to the ground with a thump as Zelda wrapped her arms around Lilith’s waist, and just as the redhead was about to lose herself in the kiss, Lilith pulled back, gazing at her with hooded eyes.

“And now?” she rasped, and Zelda made a derisive noise.

“It’ll take more than a single kiss for you to convince me,” she goaded, and Lilith was more than happy to accept the challenge, stealing Zelda’s breath with kisses that kept them both happily distracted for the rest of the afternoon.

The next day unfortunately brought an end to their bubble of contentment with a return to virtual office meetings, this time including the added difficulty of trying to work in their newly shared space.

They’d finished their original project, but the new quarantine had brought another wave of interdepartmental projects within the company. Given how well they’d worked together before, Richard decided to pair Lilith and Zelda up again, this time on an overhaul of the system their departments used in conjunction to track data. That being the case, they kept their ten o’clock meeting, now made easier given they could hold it over breakfast, and working on their separate tasks didn’t pose a problem either. The trouble came from the meetings they had to attend together, having to find a way for both of them to be able to participate without making it obvious they were living together.

Zelda had a small desk in the guest room and suggested that one of them could use it with the door closed, but Lilith argued that she wanted to be in eyeshot of one another so that they could exchange knowing looks when idiocy inevitably occurred. Unable to argue, Zelda agreed, and they dragged the desk to a corner of the living room, far enough away from the kitchen table that the other’s echo wouldn’t be caught by their mics (at least, that’s what Zelda hoped was true).

Lilith logged in first, and the usual pleasantries were exchanged before Zelda joined. She held her breath, waiting for the barrage of questions as to why they were in the same apartment, but none came.

“Good afternoon, Zelda,” her boss greeted.

“Hello, Richard,” she replied on a quick exhale, eyes darting to Lilith over the edge of the screen – would there be an echo? Lilith met her gaze with a discrete shake of her head, and Zelda smiled a bit more confidently when she looked back at her boss. 

Though relieved, Zelda was still on guard, waiting for someone to comment on how their walls were the same color or how Lilith’s background had changed, but no one did, and she began to relax as the meeting started in on the usual business. It wore on, coworkers droning about their own projects, updating on developments, complaining about problems, and it was all so dry that Zelda couldn’t help but to tune it out, instead choosing to study Lilith’s features through the screen.

Lilith suddenly disappeared, replaced instead with a cat nose sniffing at the camera, whiskers twitching, and Zelda couldn’t help glancing over to Lilith’s corner, smiling as the brunette made a face at Stolas before lifting him off her computer.

“Lilith, I didn’t know you had a cat!” one of their coworkers exclaimed, beaming as she waved her fingers. “What’s his name?”

“His name is Stolas,” Lilith replied, trying to settle him in her lap. “He’s usually not interested in my work, but I see he’s finding it intriguing today.”

Not appreciating the affection Lilith was attempting to give him, Stolas squirmed and let out an annoyed chirp as he leapt to the floor, stalking off towards his box. Lilith watched him go, huffing out a breath and shrugging in a way that made everyone laugh before regular conversation resumed.

Not three minutes later, Zelda watched as Stolas emerged from his box, pausing a moment to survey the place before padding towards her. She stared daggers at him, willing him to go anywhere else, but he’d made up his mind and leapt into her lap, purring as he affectionately bumped her chin with the top of his head.

“Zelda, you have a black cat, too?” someone asked, and a bolt of panic went through Zelda.

“I—ah—” Surely someone would notice this was the same cat seen minutes before on Lilith’s screen, but no one did, so she cleared her throat and continued. “I do.”

“What’s his name?”

Zelda thought a moment – she couldn’t very well say ‘Stolas’ now, could she? So, she lied through her teeth and said the first name that came to mind. “Tom.”

Everyone seemed to believe her, cooing as Stolas let out a particularly cute chirp and crawled further into her arms, demanding affection. Zelda smiled and scratched his chin, heart still racing from nearly being caught in their lie by a cat, of all things.

The meeting continued in the background as Zelda glanced at Lilith, who was looking at her with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, most likely due to the fact that her cat was now settling in for a nap on Zelda’s lap. He was still there by the time the meeting ended, and Lilith sighed at the sight of them. She stood and came to stand in front of them, arms crossed as she stared at Stolas. 

“Traitor.”

Zelda rolled her eyes, stroking a hand down his back. “A bit of an overreaction, don’t you think?”

“Not when my cat chooses the lap of another over mine.” To prove her point, Lilith moved him, then perched on Zelda herself, grinning down triumphantly as Stolas slunk away. The chair creaked under their combined weight, but Zelda wrapped her arms around Lilith regardless, hands resting in the small of her back.

“Are you going to do this every time he’s in my lap?”

“Yes,” Lilith answered bluntly as she turned back, eyes narrowed as she studied Zelda. “And what kind of a name is Tom for a pet?”

Zelda furrowed her brow, defensive. “It’s a perfectly good name. I’ll have you know Tom was the name of my dog.”

“But that’s a dog,” Lilith insisted. “A loyal creature whose name should reflect as such. Cats, as we’ve learned,” she paused, looking over her shoulder in displeasure at where Stolas was now making himself comfortable on Lilith’s empty chair, “are not particularly loyal, and are therefore not suited for such a name.”

Zelda snorted slightly. “I hardly think pets care about the names we call them.”

“How would you like to have a name not meant for you?” Lilith smirked, wrapping her arms around Zelda’s neck. “Should I call you Buttercup? Patches?” She chuckled, leaning closer. “Mrs. Whiskers?”

Zelda narrowed her eyes at the last name, and she let go of Lilith’s waist before standing, effectively dumping the woman on the floor. The petty part of Zelda delighted in the small yelp the brunette let out as she tumbled off her lap, looking dazed as she lay on the floor, but she tried not to let it show too much in her smirk. She made to step over Lilith, but a hand grabbed at her ankle and pulled, sending her down with a similarly undignified shriek. Zelda blinked a couple times, attempting to restore her equilibrium before turning to fix a glare on her assailant, but the seething comment she’d prepared died on her tongue as Lilith grinned at her from upside down, still gripping her ankle.

Huffing out a laugh, Zelda turned to lay on her back. “I name a theoretical cat Tom, and your response is to trip me?”

Lilith let out an insulted noise, flipping onto her hands and knees to crawl up the length of Zelda’s body. “You _dropped_ me on the floor,” she said as she laid down on Zelda’s chest. “Quite inelegantly, too; I believe this is just my payback.”

“You were threatening to call me Patches — I think I was justified in my actions. And I wouldn’t have been _able_ to drop you if you would just let go of your feud with the cat and allow him to sit in my lap.”

Lilith waved her hand. “Never mind the feud – you proved my point though: you don’t like to be called by a name that’s not fitting of yourself.”

Unable to argue, Zelda grumbled and wrapped her arms around Lilith. “Well, the fake cat is being called Tom and that’s that. No reason to argue about it.”

“I couldn’t argue with you anyway,” Lilith murmured, pressing a kiss to Zelda’s sternum. “Bickering, however, is another story. I can bicker with you all night about the name.”

“Regardless of how long you can bicker, you’re still not going to win.”

Lilith let out a snort, soon dissolving into a fit of laughter that she muffled in Zelda’s chest, and the redhead could do nothing else but chuckle along with her, even if she wasn’t quite sure what was so funny.

When Lilith finally settled down, she let out a pleased sigh, gazing up at Zelda. “You make me so extraordinarily happy.”

Zelda felt herself blush, smiling at the compliment. “I’m happy with you, too, darling.”

~~~~~~~~~

It was early; Zelda could tell that much even without opening her eyes. Still cocooned in the blankets, she slowly tuned in to her surroundings, trying to discern what woke her up. She could hear Lilith’s soft breathing beside her, still slow and even with sleep, so it wasn’t her. There were no loud noises coming from outside, and she was still entirely comfortable in bed. So, what was it that woke her?

Zelda shifted a bit and finally felt the weight that had settled on her hip, now becoming aware of the distinct feeling of being watched. She opened her eyes to see Stolas perched on her, staring, eyes seeming to glow in the dim light. He began to knead her hip upon noticing that she was awake, purring in the hopes that someone would get up to feed him.

Groaning softly, Zelda reached out a foot to nudge Lilith’s leg. “Lilith.” No response, so she tried again, poking at Lilith’s arm, too. “Lilith.”

The brunette stirred and turned to face her, letting out a sleepy hum.

“Lilith, your cat wants food.”

It was Lilith’s turn to groan, burrowing further into the covers. “Could I bribe you to feed him for me?”

Zelda let out a chuckle at that. “You could, but the bribe will be a much higher price to pay than just doing it yourself.”

Lilith huffed and opened her eyes, smirking at the sight of Stolas perched on her girlfriend like a gargoyle. “The way I see it, he woke _you_ up; therefore, _you_ should feed him.”

Zelda narrowed her eyes. “He’s your cat, why should I feed him?”

“Because he wants you to. He loves you more than me now, anyway.”

Zelda sighed, and Lilith closed her eyes again, smiling and thinking she’d won the battle, but then she felt little paws on her, slowly making their way up her body until whiskers were tickling her nose.

Zelda chuckled smugly beside her. “Oh, look at that, he wanted you all along.”

Lilith cracked an eye, two big green ones staring back at her, and she sighed, sitting up and gathering Stolas in her arms, who began to purr again. “Now you’re nice to me,” she murmured, the cat oblivious to her annoyance as she carried him to the kitchen.

A surprising giggle came from the bedroom, and Lilith paused long enough to hear Zelda call after her: “Make sure to feed Tom while you’re at it.”

~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere in the periphery of Zelda’s attention, the door opened, bringing with it the rustling of grocery bags and a muttered curse from Lilith, though Zelda quickly tuned it out and refocused on her computer. What she’d thought would be an easy report was quickly turning into a nightmare, and tension was quickly building in her neck as she looked over the misleading numbers for what felt like the thousandth time.

An arm wrapped around her chest in a hug, Lilith pressing a gentle kiss to the crook of her neck. “Still hard at work, I see,” the brunette remarked, setting a to-go coffee cup down in front of Zelda, though she was too lost in the numbers on her screen to notice it.

“I can quit early today if I finish this task, but it’s starting to give me a headache.” Zelda sighed, first in frustration and then in relief as Lilith dug her thumb into the knot at the base of her neck. She picked up the cup absentmindedly, taking a sip before pausing and turning to face Lilith in amazement. “You remembered!”

Weeks ago, she’d told Lilith about her favorite coffee shop, lamenting the fact that she hadn’t been able to sit in the cozy, sun-warmed room for quite some time, and she hadn’t even gone to buy a cup from them in ages given that they were a bit out of the way. She’d quickly forgotten the conversation and assumed Lilith had, too, but the store’s logo stamped clearly on the cup’s sleeve proved otherwise. The coffee tasted faintly of the chocolate and orange notes their signature blend contained, and Zelda could tell there were four sugars and just a splash of cream mixed in, all topped off with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

It was exactly how she liked it.

Tears burned in Zelda’s eyes, and she quickly took another sip to stave them off, looking up to see Lilith grinning at her. “I wouldn’t be a very good girlfriend if I couldn’t remember your favorite coffee, now, would I?”

Zelda held the cup with two hands now, cradling it like something precious. “That shop is at least ten minutes out of the way, and you still went for me?”

Lilith shrugged. “I wanted to see this place you hold so dear. Perhaps gain some insight into your psyche,” she teased with a grin, making Zelda roll her eyes.

“I doubt a simple coffee shop will reveal the inner workings of my personality,” she quipped, then softened, eyes crinkling with a smile, “but nevertheless I appreciate the gesture.” She reached up and pressed a kiss to Lilith’s cheek, who gladly accepted it before leaning back to look Zelda in the eye.

“What do you say to a quiet night in for a date tonight? Some dinner and dessert, perhaps a movie or a book to share?”

“Isn’t ‘a quiet night in’ what we do every night?” Zelda asked, eyebrow quirked.

“Yes, but we can make this one a special occasion. Pretend we had dutifully rearranged our schedules and cancelled all our plans, just so we could spend this night together. No distractions, no one else vying for our attention — just us.”

Zelda hummed, considering the proposition with false debate. “When you describe it like that, I suppose it does sound nice.”

“Good, because I’ve already bought the dessert for tonight.”

Zelda craned her neck towards the kitchen, seeing a small cake covered in pink frosting and white flowers sitting on the counter. She sat back, raising an eyebrow at Lilith. “Pink frosting?”

Lilith gave her a flat look. “It was on sale. Unless you don’t want it?” she feigned, taking a small step back and smirking when Zelda quickly grabbed her wrist.

“No, no, it’s alright. I’ll make do.”

“Yes,” Lilith remarked, satisfied. “How courageous of you and your sweet tooth to settle for pink frosting.”

Zelda made a noise in the back of her throat and turned back to her computer, making Lilith laugh with her petulance.

The rest of the day passed quickly, both absorbed in work and various chores until dinnertime came, and the apartment quickly filled with the appetizing scent of chicken parmesan – an homage to their first date, as Lilith said. They sat close together during the meal, murmuring quietly about their pasts, their futures, and everything in between. They were happy, blissfully so, being intrinsically wrapped in each other’s lives — a fact they silently agreed they never wanted to change.

After dinner, they moved to the couch, Lilith immediately cuddling into the redhead’s side. Zelda wound a hand in Lilith’s hair, coiling and uncoiling locks of it around her finger, while Lilith captured the other between her own, tracing the lines of her tendons and palm.

“Thank you for suggesting this date tonight. I’ve had a wonderful time.”

Lilith hummed in contentment, turning to blink slowly at her. “So have I. I know we spend most of our time together – in the same room, even, but I,” she paused, seeming to fight for the correct words. “I still crave your company, no matter the setting. I doubt that will ever change, but having you like this, have each other’s undivided attention, like we’re all that exist in the universe, it’s…”

Zelda grasped one of Lilith’s hands as she trailed off, pressing a lingering kiss to her palm. “There’s a bit of magic to it, is there not?”

Lilith smiled, brushing her thumb over the slight dip in Zelda’s chin. “I think the magic is between us, Zelda darling.”

They stayed that way for quite a while, happy just to exist in a moment that seemed to be outside of time, but eventually they stirred, the world resuming around them. 

“Shall I get dessert?” Lilith asked, straightening with a stretch.

She was rising and walking towards the kitchen before Zelda could even nod, pausing just in the entrance, and Zelda watched as her jaw dropped, and she cocked her head like she did when confronted with something unexpected. “Oh.”

“Something the matter?”

Lilith turned her head towards Zelda but kept her eyes locked on whatever scene was in the kitchen, seeming unable to look away. “You’ll… have to see for yourself.”

Frowning, Zelda stood, wondering what on earth could make Lilith look so shocked. She came to the brunette’s side just in time to see Stolas, perched on the counter, take a large bite of the cake they’d meant to share, adding to the frosting and crumbs already smeared across his whiskers and chest.

“Oh,” Zelda echoed, wearing what she knew must be a similar expression of surprise. Unable to act, she just stared at the cat happily eating away, a bubble of laughter coming up from her chest.

The noise seemed to spur Lilith into action, and she swept Stolas off the counter, holding him at arm’s length as he smacked his lips and squirmed, trying to get back to his treat. She regarded him with a faint expression of disgust, one he returned with his own look of indignation and complacency, and the two glowering at each other made such a perfect picture that Zelda couldn’t help but pull out her phone and immortalize the moment.

Lilith gave her an exasperated look, but a moment later it was replaced with a sly smile, and she took a step towards Zelda with Stolas still held in front of her.

“Want to help me bathe a cat?”

~~~~~~~~~

“Assuming we’ve all run the reports we were given last Tuesday, I’d like to compare some numbers before we sign off.”

 _Let’s see how many of you actually do your jobs_ , Zelda thought, suppressing a sigh at the guilty expressions several of her coworkers wore. Regardless, she began to rattle off numbers, stopping only when disparities were found. They made it through the list with relative ease, then began the tedious task of assigning who would rerun which reports, not to mention pressuring those who hadn’t run done their job to perhaps find a bit of time to do so, lest the wrath of a redhead befall them.

Suddenly, there was a flash of green in the corner of her eye, and Zelda glanced up just in time to see Lilith settle into a chair across from her, wearing nothing but a smug grin and a scrap of silk that could only be called a robe in technicality. Zelda couldn’t do anything but stare at her long, graceful neck, her delicately winged collarbones, the swath of bare skin running almost to her navel, her gorgeous, perfect—

“Zelda?”

Zelda regretfully shifted her attention back to the meeting, realizing that she’d been in the middle of a sentence when Lilith sat down. “Ah, yes, my apologies, I—" her gaze drifted back to Lilith, and she forced it away again. “My… cat, distracting me,” she offered weakly before clearing her throat. “Right, as I was saying—”

A foot skimmed up her leg, all the way to the hem of her skirt, and it took all of Zelda’s willpower not to squirm. “I apologize again, I may have to cut this meeting a bit short. If we’re all clear on what needs to be done, then—"

“Actually, Zelda, I had a quick question on the numbers from—”

Lilith’s touch was at the top of her stockings now, teasing at bare skin. “Lauren, if you could email me your question I’ll answer as soon as I can, but I have,” she paused, glancing again at Lilith, “another meeting to get to.”

She ended the meeting and shut her computer before anyone else could pipe up, turning to glare at Lilith, though she couldn’t hold it for long, not with that neckline taunting her. “You’re a sinner for toying with me like that.”

Lilith just hummed and stood, gliding around the table to clear a spot for herself, and Zelda’s eyes widened a bit as Lilith sat down where the computer had been, legs parted so that the robe fell open to reveal a black garter, striking against the pale skin of her upper thighs.

“Awfully presumptuous of you,” Zelda rasped, stubbornly meeting Lilith’s eyes, though her gaze itched to fall lower.

“Well, I had a feeling you would be… more than willing.”

Zelda cupped Lilith’s calves, gliding her hands up to slip her fingers underneath the garter and snap it lightly against her skin. “Is that so?”

Humming, Lilith arched her back. “You also never repaid me for discussing our sex life with your entire family,” she pointed out, planting her feet on either side of Zelda’s hips, “so I thought you could start now.”

Lilith blinked slowly, expectantly at her, features half hidden by the cascade of hair thrown over one shoulder. Still, she looked regal, a queen upon her throne, and Zelda found herself suddenly ensnared by the magnetism of the woman in front of her. “How would you like me to begin, my queen?”

Lilith’s eyes sparked with heat, lips curling up in pleasure. “You can keep calling me that.”

Zelda knew Lilith enjoyed being worshipped as a queen, a roleplaying game she was more than happy to oblige, considering it meant spending hours revering every inch of her, drawing pleasure out of her again and again until Lilith was a quivering mess below her.

Reaching up, Zelda placed a soft, lingering kiss on Lilith’s mouth. “Let me please you.”

Lilith smiled down at her, running gentle fingers through her hair. “Of course, darling,” she murmured, giving Zelda one last kiss before tilting her head back, baring her neck and chest.

Wanting to etch the image into memory, Zelda leaned back to admire the brunette, taking in every inch before leaning in to nuzzle her neck, pressing little kisses there. A small sigh from Lilith, and Zelda moved on, brushing her nose across Lilith’s collarbone, humming softly at the scent there. “I love the way you smell.”

She continued down, pushing the edge of the robe aside to kiss a cluster of freckles she knew lay beneath. Another sigh from Lilith, this time tinged with impatience, and Zelda undid the top button of the robe with a chuckle, smirking at the new sliver of skin it revealed. Her tongue darted out, swiping softly as Lilith hummed above her. Another button, another lick, and she heard a whimper catch in Lilith throat, a sinfully wanton sound that had Zelda smiling. The third button undone, the robe fell off one shoulder, and Zelda leaned back to admire the perfect breast before sucking gently at a soft patch of skin, making Lilith moan as long fingers tangled in red-gold hair.

“So sensitive,” Zelda murmured against her, toying with the last button. “I could play here for hours.”

“Please,” Lilith whispered, and Zelda took pity on her, flicking her fingers so that the robe came undone and fell away, pooling around her hips. She was tempted to pause again, to admire, to adore, to memorize, but Lilith beckoned her, called to her, soul to soul, and Zelda couldn’t wait to cup her breasts and pull a nipple into her mouth, eliciting a strangled moan from above. The hand in her hair tightened, holding her there, as if there were any other place she’d rather be in the moment.

Zelda released her breasts and braced one hand on Lilith’s lower back, the other gently pushing on her shoulder. “Lay back, my queen.”

Lilith allowed herself to be guided down, humming in contentment at the title as she stretched her arms languorously above her head. Zelda smiled at the sight for a moment before returning to her task, kissing slowly down Lilith’s stomach, worshipping every inch of skin. She reached the garter belt and huffed out a small laugh, sinking her teeth into the material.

“A wholly unnecessary garment, considering the circumstances.”

“I don’t see you trying to take it off.”

Zelda kissed just below the belt, making Lilith’s abdomen tighten. “It makes for a pretty sight, and I’m not in the habit of disturbing pretty things.”

She reached where the robe had pooled and pushed it out of the way to reveal Lilith, wearing nothing but the garter hooked to a sheer pair of stockings, and Zelda sat up to take it all in. Her core already glistened, absolutely drenched in arousal, and Zelda felt her breath catch, a wave of heat washing over her in anticipation of the feast before her.

“And what a gorgeous sight you make for me.”

Lilith smiled and threw her legs over Zelda’s shoulders, urging her closer. The redhead complied, bending to kiss at her inner thighs, the heady scent of Lilith curling in her nose and making her head spin.

Finally, Zelda reached the crease of Lilith’s thigh, pressing one last kiss there before turning her attention to her cunt and placing a kiss there, making Lilith gasp. Another kiss, this one a bit firmer, and Lilith pushed her hips up to meet Zelda’s mouth, a hand tangling in her hair again. Zelda swiped her tongue out, gathering arousal, and she moaned to herself, realizing that no matter how many times she did this, she’d never be over the glorious feeling of that first taste.

Above her, Lilith sighed, desire coiling up her spine as she admired the sight of the Zelda between her thighs. “Make love to me, my darling.”

She glanced up at Lilith, giving her a smirk before bending her head again and licking firmly up her slit. Lilith’s hips jumped as Zelda’s tongue curled around her clit, and Zelda wrapped her arms around Lilith’s thighs, desperate to keep her close, to lose herself in the moment, in the experience, in _Lilith_.

She explored Lilith’s folds, lazily licking over sensitive spots, taking her time as though nothing else in the world mattered. In moments like these, Lilith loved to be teased, to be worked up slowly, gradually, only to be tipped gently over the edge, falling into weightless pleasure only to be caught in Zelda’s waiting arms, and Zelda loved to spend the time doing so, loved to worship her as thoroughly as she deserved.

Time ceased, and the world fell away, leaving only them. Lilith was close – Zelda could tell by the way her thighs tensed and heels pressed into her back, so she picked up her pace just slightly, wrapping her lips around Lilith’s clit and sucking, pleased by the whimper it pulled out of the brunette. She teased her oh so gently with little flicks of her tongue, laving it harder and faster until Lilith drew in a breath and held it a moment before letting out a shuddering sigh, cunt pulsing as she rutted lightly against Zelda’s face.

Zelda couldn’t help herself — she loved to see Lilith fall apart so gently, so freely, that she only tightened her grip on the brunette’s thighs and increased her pace again, desperate to push her to another peak. She swirled her tongue around Lilith’s clit, the hand in her hair tightening as Lilith let out a whine, hips bucking as she chased her next release just as desperately as Zelda did. She teased at Lilith’s entrance, parting her lips before sliding two fingers in, moaning at the way Lilith clamped around them, swollen, slick, and needy. Knowing how sensitive she’d be, Zelda crooked her fingers, and Lilith keened so beautifully that Zelda did it again, until Lilith’s cunt began to pulse once more.

Lilith was close again – so close already. A few more swirls of her tongue, a pump of her fingers, crooking them again, then once more, and Lilith came harder than before, little mewls of pleasure escaping with every wave of release that crashed over her.

Zelda brought her down as slowly as she’d built her up, licking at the arousal that leaked past her fingers until Lilith's hips stilled. Lilith let out a small moan when she removed her fingers, thighs quivering again at the sensation, and Zelda rested her forehead on Lilith’s stomach, unwilling to disentangle completely.

Zelda drew small patterns on the crease of one hip as minutes passed, listening to Lilith catch her breath as her muscles slowly relaxed. Lilith eventually let her legs fall from Zelda’s shoulders to sit, nudging Zelda up to give her a sweet kiss, just as slow and thorough as Zelda had been with her before.

“Sweet thing, you were so good, so good for your queen.”

Zelda felt herself flush at Lilith’s praise, her own arousal becoming suddenly uncomfortable, and she squirmed, desperate for friction. Lilith noticed and smiled, taking Zelda’s hand and pulling her to standing as she slid off the table to meet her. 

“Now let me take care of you,” she murmured, and Zelda sighed, allowing herself to be guided towards the bedroom.

“You always will.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said that this will be the last story for this series? Yeah, that's not true anymore. Well, partially. The thing is, I really like this series -- I love it's domesticity and easiness, and I want to continue to write that in the midst of the other, possibly more serious fics I have planned. So, I've decided to continue this universe, except it's getting a bit of a makeover. The quarantine section of this story is ending, but it will resume post-pandemic (don't you wish that were true in real life?) with our favorite ladies going back to in-person work. I won't say more, as I don't want to spoil everything that will happen, but the bottom line is that these ladies in this universe won't be going anywhere for quite a while :)
> 
> As always, the biggest, most heartfelt thank you to TomorrowNeverCame (@its-a-goode-day) for editing and encouragement, as well as an equally huge thank you to paradox-n-bedrock for encouragement and reassuring me that I am a good writer.

Zelda shifted a bit under the covers before opening her eyes, seeing Lilith already awake. She blinked blearily, seeming to have just woken up herself, but her smile was no less radiant when she fixed it on Zelda.

“Good morning,” Zelda whispered, unwilling to disturb the quiet.

Lilith made a small sound and moved closer to bury her nose in Zelda’s collarbone. “Does it have to be?”

As if on cue, Zelda alarm went off, and she turned to stop the affronting noise before returning to Lilith, wrapping her arms around the brunette. “It appears so.”

She allowed herself the moment, still cocooned in warmth with Lilith’s breath comfortingly regular against her skin, but it was a workday. Zelda attempted to sit up, but Lilith stopped her by wrapping her arms and legs around her like a vine.

“No, don’t leave.” Lilith’s voice was muffled in her shoulder, petulant. “Stay in bed with me.”

Zelda chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before attempting to disentangle herself. “Oh, darling, I would, but my ten o’clock meeting would be very cross with me if I didn’t show.”

Lilith gave an amused hum, tightening her grip on Zelda. “Your ten o’clock need to loosen up a bit.” She peeked up at Zelda with a pleading look. “Play hooky with me.”

The offer was tempting, and Lilith was a master manipulator with those eyes. Zelda relaxed back into bed, studying her. “Maybe. I might need more convincing.”

Lilith smiled and stretched languorously. “Just think of how gratifying it’ll be to take the day off – so many responsibilities suddenly lifted from your shoulders.”

Now, _that_ was appealing. She’d planned to start a particularly tricky report today, one almost guaranteed to give her a headache, but it couldn’t hurt to postpone it one more day.

“And we’ve both been working hard, lately. We deserve something like this,” Lilith continued. “I know I don’t have any deadlines today, and I don’t believe you do, either. As far as meetings go, no one should be terribly upset if we don’t show.”

All of that was true. None of the items on her to-do list were due until later in the week, and she only had one other meeting today besides Lilith’s, which could easily be skipped with the excuse of a migraine. It might look suspicious if both she and Lilith skipped their meetings on the same day, but they did work in different departments. It was possible no one would find out they were both gone, and even if someone did, people didn’t seem to suspect that they were dating, so no one would even think of them living together. Perhaps she could do nothing today…

Yes, she could, she decided. Opening her mouth to agree, Zelda glanced back at Lilith, who was now studying her with a gleam in her eye that bore an uncanny resemblance to the look Stolas had when he studied his prey. Zelda snapped her mouth shut with a suspicious glare.

“You planned that, didn’t you?”

Lilith’s expression morphed into one of innocence – far too pure for her own good. “Planned what, dear?”

“Manipulating me into staying here with you.”

“Since when is the ability to convince someone the same as manipulating?” In one fluid motion, she rolled Zelda over, straddling her hips as she pinned her wrists above her head with a grin. “Don’t you want to stay in bed? Or are you being kept against your will?”

Zelda grumbled and squirmed, ceasing when she realized Lilith had a solid grip on her. “Well, _now_ I am.”

Lilith smirked and pressed a quick kiss to the tip of Zelda’s nose before crawling off her. She lay down on her side, gazing at Zelda with a smug look. “You’re free to get up now.”

Zelda almost stood merely on principle, but the thought of focusing on work was atrocious now that she’d decided to take the day off. Instead, she steadfastly avoided Lilith’s eyes as she turned her back towards her, burrowing into the pillows as the brunette laughed.

The bed moved as Lilith scooted close, resting her chin on Zelda’s shoulder as she settled on top of her hip. “It wasn’t some evil, masterminded plan, you know.” Lilith pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, and Zelda melted a bit. “It was merely a thought I had, right when your alarm went off.” Another kiss and Zelda melted further, now smiling. “About how wonderful it would be to spend the rest of the day here with my darling Zelda.”

The pet name and the gentle touches were enough to soften Zelda completely, and she turned her head to look at Lilith draped along her side. “Let’s just go back to sleep, shall we?”

Lilith grinned and settled in behind her, burying her nose in the crook of her neck. She flung an arm over Zelda’s waist, who sighed contentedly and let herself be pulled close.

They were quiet for a minute before Zelda spoke. “I wouldn’t have done anything like this before I met you,” she said mildly, and she felt more than heard Lilith’s responding chuckle.

“Are you saying I corrupted the great Zelda Spellman?”

“Yes,” Zelda answered bluntly and wiggled her hips until she was completely flush with Lilith. “But in the best way possible.”

Zelda felt Lilith smile and shift before a kiss was placed on the hinge of her jaw. When she snuggled back in, their bodies matched curve for curve. Like soulmates, she thought suddenly, but pushed that firmly aside. Soulmates weren’t real; people could fit in every way possible, but that didn’t mean they were destined for one another or that it was written in the stars that they’d meet and fall in love.

But as Zelda drifted off, Lilith already asleep behind her, she wondered if maybe she’d found hers.

~~~~~~~~~

Zelda nearly vibrated with excitement — she was scheduled for her first one-on-one meeting with Marie since the second quarantine order, and it would be her first opportunity to truly talk to her since the office party. She missed her friend — their lunches together, coffee breaks, shared smiles as they passed in the hallways. As much as Zelda loved being home with Lilith, an afternoon with Marie was just what she needed.

Zelda logged into their meeting, and the video immediately began to load. She held her breath, willing the wheel to spin faster. For god’s sake, how could technology be considered useful—

Marie suddenly appeared on her screen, and Zelda nearly laughed with glee at the sight of her friend’s dazzling smile.

“ _Bonjour, chérie_ ,” Marie greeted, and Zelda’s cheeks already ached from smiling, so completely overjoyed just to hear Marie’s voice.

“ _Bonjour, mon amie, comment ça va?_ ”

“Much better now that I am talking to you,” Marie said, still smiling. “It has been strange not seeing you every day; I have missed you.”

Zelda’s grin turned to a soft smile. “I’ve missed you, too. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other in person, and we still didn’t see much of each other at the party.”

Marie smirked and leaned back in her chair. “No, we did not, since you were otherwise involved. And how is Lilith?”

Zelda nearly choked, Marie’s sudden and blatant insinuation of her involvement with Lilith surprising her. “I—” she stuttered to a stop, so caught off guard that she was momentarily startled speechless, but quickly recovered. “How should I know how Lilith’s doing?”

Marie watched her stammer with mild interest. “You two are _amoureuse, n’est-ce pas?_ ”

She shouldn’t have been surprised at Marie’s intuition, having known her to correctly predict many a relationship over their years of friendship, but she was still unprepared to be on the receiving end of the situation. With Marie’s curious gaze on her, Zelda debated telling the truth for a moment, admitting to her relationship simply to avoid the tangled mess that lies always cause, but she and Lilith had decided to keep their relationship secret for the time being, at least from their coworkers. As much as they cared about one another, they were still new and didn’t want the added stress of questions and gossip from everyone in the office. She knew Marie wouldn’t say a word to anyone if Zelda asked her not to, but still, she wanted a secret office romance (even if the office just happened to be the living room at the moment).

No, she couldn’t tell Marie, at least not yet. She wanted Lilith all to herself for a little while longer, and to do that, Zelda would have to remain adamant that she and Lilith were _not_ dating. Besides, even if she had wanted to tell Marie, she and Lilith had agreed. Zelda wouldn’t break that promise; when she was ready, she would make sure Lilith was, too.

So, she fixed her friend with a blank stare and asked, “What would make you think that?” in a measured tone.

Marie raised an eyebrow. “You two were together all night at the party, making eyes at each other. Your face lit up when I mentioned her name, and,” she smirked, “you have that glow suggestive of regular sex.”

Zelda stared at Marie, belatedly realizing her jaw had dropped, and she snapped it closed. She opened it again to retort, but Stolas chose that moment to leap onto her keyboard, staring at her expectantly. She scooped him off before he could do something disastrous and set him on her lap, but he immediately jumped off with a chirp, padding behind her towards his food bowl.

Zelda watched him go, mentally preparing herself — Marie would certainly notice the new cat. She turned back, smoothing her skirt, and Marie grinned at her, gaze shifting from her to Stolas visible just over her shoulder and back again. “I’m hurt, _chérie_. You never told me you have a cat.”

Zelda fought the urge to squirm. “Yes, well.” Marie’s gaze, almost as piercing as Lilith’s, bore into her, and Zelda had to look away. “It’s not something I mention in every conversation.”

Marie raised an eyebrow. “And after nearly four years of friendship, you’ve never mentioned your beloved pet to me?”

“It’s… a relatively new thing.” That wasn’t entirely a lie, she told herself, Stolas was a new fixture in the apartment.

“Hm,” Marie hummed, the tone of it indicating just how much she believed the story. “ Lilith has a black cat, too — one who looks very similar. Another reason for me to think you two are lovers.”

Zelda’s gaze snapped back to Marie, surprised. “When did you see Stolas?”

“A friend showed me a picture from a meeting – you know the cat’s name?”

“You know Lilith and I have been working closely,” Zelda justified. “It’s not unusual for me to know the name of her pet.”

“I would say a little more than just ‘closely,’ Zelda,” Marie said with a smirk implying the lewder definition of the word. “But you are avoiding my point: no one knew you had a cat until you began working… _closely_ ,” Marie repeated, and Zelda briefly wondered why she tried to keep anything secret from her, “with Lilith, who just so happens to have an identical looking cat — one would think the two of you are living together.”

Zelda set her shoulders, half annoyed yet half amused at Marie’s insistence. It was almost a game now, she realized. Given how perceptive Marie was, she was just going to have to try harder to sell her lie, and after the initial shock of it all, she was becoming eager for a battle of wits, especially with someone she was so evenly matched with. After all, she was nothing if not competitive.

She huffed and rolled her eyes in fake annoyance. “I’m sure there are aspects of your life that I know nothing about; why can’t my cat be one of my secrets? And all black cats look alike; do you really think you can distinguish between two cats of the same color?”

“Perhaps you are right,” Marie conceded, still looking unconvinced. “Though the timing of this information is still curious. But as long as you are so adamant in saying you have this cat, tell me about him.”

Zelda suppressed a victorious smirk. “Well, his name is Tom,” she looked up to see Lilith standing in the living room, motioning towards the kitchen. She shifted in her seat, covertly angling her computer away from the entrance to the kitchen. “He’s about three years old, so he still acts like a kitten,” she continued, trying to ignore Lilith as she crept past. “He demands to be fed at six in the morning every day, and he’s very spoiled. I’ve given him his own armchair, but he still prefers my lap.”

Marie smiled, but after a moment, furrowed her brow. “You had a dog named Tom a few years ago, no?”

A snort came from the kitchen, and Zelda suppressed the urge to glare in that direction. Instead, she rolled her eyes. “Tom is a good, strong name. Why do people have a problem with it?”

“Who else has a problem with it?”

“I—” she paused, realizing her mistake. Unable to think of anything else, she stammered out a quick excuse. “Just – people, in general, why does it matter?” she spoke sharply, and Marie raised her hands.

“Alright, calm down,” Marie soothed, chuckling. “Tom is a fine name,” she reassured, then chuckled again. “Well, if you and Lilith are not together already, you should be. You even have matching cats, apparently.”

“Lilith and I are just friends.”

Marie smiled and shook her head slightly. “ _Chérie_ , you and I are friends. You don’t look at me the way you look at her.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow, curious — how did she look at Lilith? “And what way would that be?”

There was a sudden look of confusion in Marie’s eyes, like she was beginning to doubt her assumption, and Zelda felt a burst of triumph. “Zelda, do you not know? _Tu as un coup de foudre_.”

That gave Zelda pause, did she really look that lovestruck? Love at first sight was a false notion used in charming tales, but she supposed it was possible to fall for someone so quickly and dramatically that others assume it must have happened instantaneously. Was that what she and Lilith looked like? She was fond of Lilith, of course, and some of that would certainly show on her face, but did she really look that desperately in love?

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Zelda gave a wry smile and shook her head. “I don’t have a _coup de foudre_ , Marie, for Lilith or for anyone else, partly because no such thing exists.”

Marie studied her for a moment before speaking. “I have seen great loves in this world; enough to know the heart does strange things, sometimes. We may not admit it or accept it at first, but the heart will do what it wants, and it is up to us to follow it.” She paused, smiling warmly before speaking deliberately. “I wish you the greatest happiness, Zelda. With whomever you fall for.”

In that second, Zelda felt an understanding pass between them. Marie knew, despite her best efforts, but she couldn’t bring herself to care, not with Marie’s glowing support still ringing in her ears. 

She swallowed hard, blinking against the sudden tears stinging her eyes. “Thank you, Marie,” she whispered, unable to manage anything more.

Still smiling, Marie nodded, and then quirked an eyebrow, giving her a look that seemed to say _when you’re ready, I want to hear all about it_. She straightened in her chair then, taking a deep breath. “As much as I love talking to you, the original purpose of this meeting was to discuss work — I suppose we will have to do so at some point.”

“We’ll have to find time outside of work to catch up,” Zelda suggested. “Perhaps a socially distanced lunch, if you want to leave your house for a while.”

“That sounds lovely,” Marie agreed, then smirked, a teasing gleam in her eye. “You will have to bring Lilith along for me to properly meet her.”

Rolling her eyes, Zelda pulled up a report and shared her screen, steadfastly ignoring Marie’s laughter as she launched into work.

Close to an hour later, she ended the call and slowly closed her laptop. It had been wonderful to spend time with Marie even in a professional capacity, but more than that, it felt nice to have a friend that knew about her and Lilith. Even though she wouldn’t talk to her about it yet or even confirm that there was a relationship, having that silent understanding with Marie reminded her exactly why they were best friends.

Lilith came up behind her suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts as she rested her chin on her head. Zelda leaned into her with a hum, her head on Lilith's chest.

They stayed that way for minutes, enjoying the comfort of each other's presence until Lilith spoke up, sweetly murmuring into her hair. “I told you ‘Tom’ isn’t a name for a cat, and Marie agrees with me.”

Zelda huffed and nudged her shoulder back against Lilith’s chest. “She did _not_ agree with you; she merely argued that I already had a pet named Tom.”

Lilith made an ambiguous noise and was quiet for a moment before speaking softly. “We can tell her if you want.”

Zelda thought a moment, then sighed. “As much as I want to, I don’t think we should, not yet. I trust her completely, but we agreed not to tell anyone, and I do want a bit more time by ourselves. Besides,” she snorted, shaking her head fondly, “she knows already. I just haven’t confirmed it.”

Lilith chuckled, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “She was very adamant about it. Oh, and what does…” she paused, and Zelda heard her trying to sound out the words, “ _un coup de foudre_ mean?”

“It’s a French idiom, literally ‘a stroke of lightning.’ The English equivalent is ‘love at first sight.’” Zelda turned in her chair to face Lilith, shaking her head. “A silly and romantic notion meant for children.”

Lilith tilted her head. “You don’t believe in it?”

“No,” Zelda stated flatly, and she eyed Lilith curiously. “Do you?”

Lilith was silent a moment before shrugging. “I’m not sure. I would’ve said no,” she smiled and reached out to brush a finger over Zelda’s chin, “but then I met you.”

Zelda couldn’t help but melt at the words, smiling as she leaned up to kiss Lilith. Maybe, she thought, love at first sight wasn’t such an outlandish tale after all.

~~~~~~~~~

It was the start of a long weekend, something that Zelda absolutely relished in. Three whole days to do anything she wanted, and to do it all with Lilith by her side — the perfect existence. So, when she found herself reading on the couch with Lilith sitting across from her, their legs tangled together under a shared blanket, Zelda thought she couldn’t be happier. That is, until Stolas leapt into her lap.

She smiled and scratched his chin, enjoying his purrs for a moment until the expected shifting came from the other end of the couch and Lilith crawled towards her, nudging Stolas out of the way. He jumped off her lap, and Lilith quickly took his place, pushing Zelda’s legs apart until she could sit between them, back resting against her chest. Zelda readjusted around her, setting her book aside while she pushed thick brown hair out of her face and over Lilith’s shoulder. Able to see again, she watched Stolas stare at them, obviously planning something nefarious, and she chuckled, wrapping her arms around Lilith.

“Just as he was getting comfortable.”

“He knows the rules,” Lilith replied, squirming until their bodies were completely flush. “Your lap is mine.”

“And yet he breaks them constantly.”

Lilith snorted, though Zelda could hear the smile in her voice as she stared at the cat. “He loves you.” She leaned her head back against Zelda’s shoulder, looking up at her the best she could. “One will break just about any rule for love.”

A flutter in Zelda’s chest made her breath catch, and she glanced down to meet bright blue eyes, idly thinking how amazing it was that this woman still had the power to captivate her. Twenty fours hours a day spent together for weeks on end, and still she was bewitched by Lilith, completely ensnared to the point of being dizzy with utter happiness.

She smiled then, unable and unwilling to stop herself, and when Lilith grinned back at her, gods, it was like a lightning bolt to the heart, electrifying and debilitating and exhilarating all at once. She couldn’t look away, didn’t want to, content to live forever in this moment made just for them.

Their trance broke with the sound of a chirp from Stolas, and Zelda glanced up just in time to see him leap onto Lilith’s legs. He stared at them with rounded eyes for a moment before curling up in her lap, purring softly as Lilith stroked a hand down his back.

“Look who’s finally decided to forgive me.”

As denunciatory as the words were, Zelda could hear in her voice and see in the way she scratched the spot by his tail just how happy she was to finally have her cat choosing her own lap. Tightening her grip on Lilith, Zelda buried her face in her neck, inhaling the earthy scent she called home. “It’s because he loves you, too.”

She felt more than heard Lilith hum as she leaned her head against hers in an embrace almost more intimate than any others they’d shared, and once again Zelda found herself in that dizzying trance of happiness.

Some minutes later, Lilith grabbed her book from the back of the couch and nudged Zelda’s arm with its spine. She grabbed it as Lilith leaned her head back on her shoulder again, and she looked down to see the woman looking up at her pleadingly.

“Read to me?”

Zelda chuckled but opened the book, propping it up on Lilith’s knees as she thumbed the pages until she found where she’d left off. And, with a quick scratch to Stolas’ head, she began to read.

They spent the rest of the day curled up together, even deciding to order in rather than disentangle and cook something. The entire time, though, Zelda couldn’t get a little niggling thought out of the back of her mind. For some unknown reason, Lilith’s words kept echoing through her head: ‘one will break just about any rule for love.’ It wasn’t so much what she said, but rather the way she said it that had stuck with her — there’d been such a warmth to her tone when she’d said the word ‘love,’ and she’d forever remember the sincerity in Lilith’s eyes as she’d gazed up at her, and the way that for a moment she’d felt like the most important person in the world.

Now, as they lay in bed, she could still hear Lilith’s words in that purring, earnest tone of hers, and the memory of them brought about a deep contentment settled comfortably in her chest. Like a small flame sitting just behind her breastbone, the warmth of it spreading all the way to the tips of her toes and leaving her buzzing slightly, fuzzy like one drink past tipsy and too satisfied to care.

What was this feeling, she wondered? What had the power to excite and calm her all at once, to make her smile even when there was nothing to smile about, to tilt her entire world only to right it once again?

Lilith’s words sang through her mind again, ‘one will break just about any rule for love,' and that flame in her chest burned brighter still as she realized what it was.

_Love_.

It wasn’t like the love she felt for her sister, steady and constant; nor the love she felt for Sabrina, fierce and protective — it was all of those, and so much more. It was late nights spent curled in each other’s arms and coffee brought home from her favorite shop; it was teasing jokes and rolled eyes, gentle kisses and lingering hugs and soft lullabies. It filled her heart to the point she thought it would burst, but oh, what an incredibly beautiful feeling it was.

Zelda turned to look at Lilith, heart skipping at the mere sight of her. She was lying on her back, eyes closed and her breath slow, and the faint moonlight in the room cast long shadows on her face, making her features look even sharper than normal. She was beautiful, strikingly so, and Zelda felt the urge to touch her, to trace every line and plane of her face until she knew it better than her own, to reach out and show her how much she cared for her, to tell her she loved her and would love her until the end.

She had to tell her. The warmth in her chest was growing, stoked by her realization, and she couldn’t keep it to herself any longer. She needed to look Lilith in the eye and tell her, to somehow convey a fraction of the love currently swelling in her chest. 

Zelda moved closer to Lilith, reaching out and laying a gentle hand on her arm. “Lilith?” she whispered, not wanting to wake her abruptly, and Lilith stirred.

“Hm?” she hummed sleepily as she turned to face Zelda, still not opening her eyes.

She paused, suddenly hesitant — was this too soon? They cared about each other, but love was a strong word, and she couldn’t bear to ruin this. But the desire to tell Lilith was like a physical thing, pushing her on, so much so that she felt almost desperate. She took a deep breath and spoke quietly. “I love you.”

Lilith’s eyes popped open, staring at her in awe for a moment before a smile slowly spread across her face. “Say it again.”

Letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding, Zelda spoke again, stronger. “I love you.”

Lilith’s grin widened, so much so that Zelda couldn’t help but return it, even as she was rolled onto her back. “Again.”

Zelda huffed but complied, still smiling. “I love you.”

Lilith leaned down until their lips brushed. “Again.”

She rolled her eyes, the game beginning to tire. “Are you ever going to say it back?”

Lilith chuckled and closed the small gap between them, capturing Zelda’s lips in a slow, sweet kiss.

“My darling Zelda, I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tl;dr the beginning notes: this universe is not coming to an end, just getting a makeover :)
> 
> As always, my CAOS blog is themoon-andher-love on tumblr; come say hello! I love meeting new people

**Author's Note:**

> Small note, but the title is adapted from lyrics from Wasteland, Baby by Hozier, which is about falling in love during an apocalypse, and isn't that just the dream?
> 
> My CAOS blog on tumblr is @themoon-andher-love; come say hello!


End file.
